GIVEAWAY CLOSED!
I’m so excited to have this giveaway! Penny from Gracey May (note her ad on the right) has the sweetest shop on Etsy & has offered to give away an amazing surprise. Read her ‘interview’ & enter with some comments!
Where are you from & how did you get there?
I had a lovely childhood in Hot Springs, AR, spent my adolescent years in Atlanta, GA and my college years in Nashville, TN where I’ve been ever since. I LOVE this city and it’s become my home.
What were/are the women in your life like? (mother, grandmother, aunts, friends)
I am so blessed to have had wonderful women who were all around me growing up. As well as a rich history of Great Grandmothers and Aunts whose stories fascinated me as a child. From my Great, Great Grandmothers, who during the civil war took care of everything while their husbands were away at war, to my Grandma who grew up in the depression and knows how to make use of everything she has. To this day she can make about 10 meals out of one chicken and feeds herself and my Grandad very well on $150 a month. And finally to my magnificent Mother who is a TRUE southern bell and loved by everyone. All of these women are part of me and continue to influence me. I hope to pass down their rich wisdom and history to my two daughters.
Where did you learn embroidery?
My Mother taught me how to cross stitch when I was six years old but it wasn’t until I was pregnant with my daughter that I started to embroider. I came across some vintage patterns and I became obsessed! I didn’t know how to do any stitches so I had my mom teach me everything she knew and then I practiced, practiced, practiced!
Where does your inspiration come from? & what draws you to embroidery & the things you make?
All of the women in my family have done some type of needlework, so I think it’s just in my blood! My Grandma made all of my Mother’s clothes growing up and is an expert quilter. I remember her telling me that hand quilting is the true way to quilt, not using machines! My other dear Grandmother was always cross stitching and embroidering. I remember being in her house as a little girl surrounded by her framed cross stitched creations and her embroidered pillows with ruffled edges. And finally to my Mother who has always cross stitched, embroidered and done candlewicking as well. When she was first married she would sell her embroidery to shops for extra money, if only Etsy was around back then!
Embroidery reminds me of my grandmothers and my childhood and I love that! I’m blessed to have many of my grandmother’s framed embroidery she’s given me hanging all over my house, and they are a daily inspiration to me. I love vintage patterns which is what I mostly embroider, but lately I’ve been drawn to more random embroidery, things that don’t seem to go together. Like my Steve Holt!, a character from Arrested Development, cross stitch and my framed embroidery with a quote from the movie Say Anything. I was inspired to make those things after going through my grandmother’s old sewing basket she gave me and finding an embroidery that said, “thank you for not smoking” but it was in pretty script with flowers everywhere. It just looked funny to me because it was such a contrast to typical no smoking signs! I love that!
What influence do your children have on your creations?
When I first started embroidering all I did was onsies and clothing for my daughter so that gave me lots of practice to improve my embroidery. I still love embroidering clothing for my girls, this year I embroidered matching easter dresses with bluebirds and flowers. I hope to make pieces they love and want to put in their homes, just as I love all of the pieces passed down to me!
The Giveaway: An adorable vintage inspired lunch bag! Do your part & ditch those brown paper bags for this enchanting fruit adorned sack.
VisitGracey May& comment here with your favorite item.Buy something from theshop.Heart theshop.Follow this blog.Announce the Giveaway on Facebook.Announce the Giveaway on Twitter. (link to your twitter account in your comment please)Follow Gracey May onTwitter.
**FREE SHIPPING** is being offered to all you lovely readers for the duration of the giveaway–just enter ‘TurtlesToStart’ as a message to the seller & you’ll be refunded!
All I could ask of Penny? To keep a blog to document her crafting for us all! Good idea, right?
22 Comments
My favorite item in the shop is the peacock bag.
— Cadi at http://www.maehegirl.blogspot.com
I've been following this blog for a while. So I'm not just signing up to follow cause I wanna win somethin'. 🙂
— Cadi at http://www.maehegirl.blogspot.com
It's not giving me the choice to heart the shop, so I must already heart it.
— Cadi at http://www.maehegirl.blogspot.com
I LOVE the peacock bag. It's going into my "I really need this" list!
OK, I also hearted the shop. If I can figure out Twitter I'll tweet about it!
penny is one of my best friends and i absolutely love everything she does! if i had to pick a fave (or 2), it would be the unicorn or the folk dancers!
i follow this blog.
and i shared on facebook!
I heart her shop!
I love the folk dancers and the Alice in Wonderland piece!
i'm a big fan of penny and gracey may designs! i love the peacock bag and all the bluebird designs. i also especially appreciate the random ones like steve holt and the say anything quote. hooray for penny! i agree time for penny to start a blog!!!!!
I love the
Horse Pillow – Brown w/ Hand Embroidered White Horses
I like the childs apron with bluebirds
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
Lots of goodies but I really like the I ♥ Mom potholder! So cute!
Following on twitter:)
I love the bluebirds and I follow you
I like the little birdie buttons. 🙂
The peacock shopping bag is my favorite!
wow – the peacock tote is AWESOME!! following you on twitter now 🙂
Looks like the peacock bag is popular and can see why so lovely
I like the bluebird and flowers bag… all is so nice.
Thank you for this wonderful giveaway
I <3 your shop…RosieMama 😀
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